Meeting & Agendas

Meeting called to order by community representative, Kim Stengel, Operations Manager with Stonegate Pharmacy. Members introduced themselves.

For the next meeting, Lisa McCartney announced that she would email the members the date and time.

Committee members reviewed last meeting minutes from July 17, 2009. A correction was made regarding Margaret Peloquin’s remark regarding library sources. Elizabeth Huss motioned to accept minutes with the correction. Eileen Klein seconds the motion. The committee members voted to accept the minutes with the correction.

Lisa McCartney reported an update on the status of experiential training sites.She distributed a list of the current practicum affiliation sites. Lisa commented that she was concerned about availability of hospital pharmacies. The members suggested new leads that she could pursue for the summer and fall 2010 semester. Lisa McCartney said she would call/visit them. Lisa McCartney also mentioned that Pat Recek, the Asst. Dean, was currently working on the contract with HEB. This is good news since it will provide retail placement for those students in practicum. Lisa McCartney proposed a survey that she is planning to send out to the preceptors. This survey should help the pharmacy program understand what the preceptor’s needs are. Lisa Thibodeaux and Alicia Hynum volunteered to look at the survey and give Lisa McCartney feedback before she actually sends it out to the community. In addition, Lisa McCartney also said that she is working on creating a “How to Guide” for the preceptors. She asked for suggestions on what to include in this guide. Dr. Richard Espinosa suggested that Lisa go to the Pharmacy school and look at their guide that is posted. Eileen Klein suggested that Lisa may want to go on the web and see if one is already available and she can use as a sample guide. Lisa McCartney indicated that she plans to have the guide completed by the fall 2010 semester.

Lisa McCartney revisited the discussion of offering an associate degree in Pharmacy Technology. She said that the request was driven by student s. Lisa McCartney said she felt that at this time she still needs to research if there is a need. She said she would need to survey the employers and see whether they would compensate for the associates. She also said if the program was approved she would also need to see if faculty with SAC credentials would be available. Marcy May, adjunct for the pharmacy program suggested that Lisa might send out a survey to all employers to see what kind of techs they are looking to hire. Eileen Klein suggested that at this time no decision be made regarding on the associate degree until more information had been gathered regarding the need. Eileen Klein suggested that Lisa McCartney work with Elizabeth Huss on creating the survey since Elizabeth already has templates in place that could be used to send out the surveys.

Lisa McCartney informed the advisory board members that the University of Houston partnership in regards to IV certifications might be endangered due to Houston not having a director to oversee the certifications. The pharmacy program at ACC currently certifies 50 students a year through the credit side and 5 students a year through continuing education. Lisa McCartney said that she wants to presents options to continue to provide IV certifications either by ACC becoming a provider or by ACC partnering with another institute like U. T. College of Pharmacy. The cost to have ACC provide the certification would be $6,200 the first year and $6,000 a year to maintain accreditation. Lisa McCartney mentioned that the advantages of offering the certification at ACC would be that it opens doors for other tech certifications such as sterile preparation. The question was asked by Eileen Klein as to how important these certifications were to the program? Lisa McCartney replied that they were very important because lots of places require students to have the IV certifications. Lisa McCartney will gather more information regarding certifications and will back to the board as to what will be the best option to pursue.

Lisa McCartney presented the current enrollment numbers for the program. For Fall 2009 there were 9 graduates. For the spring 2010 semester, 25 new students entered the program. There will be 20 students graduating this summer. We currently have 14 new applicants for the fall 2010 semester. Lisa McCartney commented that the program is continuing to grow. Lisa McCartney reported that the laboratory renovations were almost complete. There are few minor things that need to be done but it should be finished soon. Lisa McCartney reported that the program had received the new TPN Compounder. Lisa McCartney said that she was looking for a better method to track student completion and employments for graduates. Presently we are sending out surveys by mail but very few respond. It was suggested by one of the members that maybe the surveys should be done online. One member suggested maybe providing an incentive if they respond to the survey. Lisa McCartney will work on developing an online survey.

Lisa McCartney announced that the ASHP reaccreditation visit will be in the spring 2011, possibly in February. She encouraged that for the next few meeting all members attend to discuss the preparations and if they cannot attend to send an alternative in their place.

Lisa McCartney received a letter from the hospitals regarding the color of student’s scrubs when they do their practicum. The hospitals want to uniform the colors for students. Eileen Klein asked Lisa McCartney to get with Pat Recek to decide the best way to determine what colors students will need to wear.

Eileen Klein informed the members about the legislation concern about the budget. The college has been asked to give back money and there will be meetings to discuss how much and where the budget cuts will come from. Lisa McCartney announced that ACC had agreed to pay for membership fees to ASHP, TSHP, and PTEC for full-time faculty in the PHRA program.